Chapter 440: The Art of Body Construction

Sun Tiecheng taught Li Banfeng the core principles of the 'Ironclad Evidence' technique.

“'Ironclad Evidence' means two things: first, the evidence must be truly irrefutable; second, your judgment must be decisive.

Some people can't present irrefutable evidence and resort to empty promises like swearing on their lives or claiming every word is true. That's nonsense.

Genuine 'ironclad evidence' must be tangible and verifiable, laid out concretely before the other party.

Once the evidence is presented, your decision must be firm. Don't say things like 'it should be so' or 'it's almost certain.'

If you're only ninety percent certain, that remaining ten percent of uncertainty will breed doubt. Even a trace of doubt will break the technique.

In the face of 'ironclad evidence,' there's no room for ambiguity, no appeals, no compromise or maneuvering. Only then can the evidence become a mountain, crushing anyone who dares to defy it until they cannot move!”

Li Banfeng realized that when Yancui'er held him immobile, it was because he was genuinely being crushed by a mountain.

What a remarkable technique!

Li Banfeng felt he had grasped it well. He was confident this move would help Qiu Luoye pass the first trial.

After expressing his gratitude, Li Banfeng intended to return to Seven Autumn City, but Sun Tiecheng was displeased.

“You just come when you want, and leave when you've learned? What do you take this place for? Aren't you celebrating the New Year? Let's have a grand feast first!”

Li Banfeng replied, “Let's have the feast another day. I haven't forgotten my gratitude, but first, I need to take care of urgent business.”

Sun Tiecheng refused. “Nonsense! Will it still be New Year in a few days? Yan Hong, tell the kitchen to prepare a feast! Yan Qing'er, have the girls sing! Yancui'er, hold him down for me!”

Sun Tiecheng was unyielding. Li Banfeng tried to flee, but his legs felt weak. Just as he reached the door, Yancui'er dragged him back.

Li Banfeng paced anxiously, as the hall buzzed with commotion. Suddenly, a hawker's cry echoed from the street:

“Foreign soap, vanishing cream, matches, foreign candles, foreign shovels! Come and see, come and behold! A cartful of good merchandise, pick whatever you like!”

The peddler!

Li Banfeng was overjoyed, believing help had arrived. He was about to rush out, but Sun Tiecheng blocked him inside.

“Close the door!” Sun Tiecheng ordered.

Yan Hong quickly closed the main door, while Yancui'er opened a narrow slit in the window and peered out at the street.

Sun Tiecheng told Li Banfeng, “Don't make a sound. Don't let him know I'm here.”

Li Banfeng wondered, “Are you so afraid of the peddler?”

Sun Tiecheng shook his head. “I'm not afraid of him; he's afraid of me. He looks quite shabby right now, and he doesn't want me to see him in that state.”

“Shabby state?” Li Banfeng was somewhat surprised. In Prozhou, few dared to call the peddler shabby.

Li Banfeng peered through the window slit, and indeed, the peddler looked a bit shabby.

“Madam, how about this hair tie? You're taking the whole bundle? And you're only giving one coin?”

An old woman bought a bundle of hair ties and only paid the peddler one coin. The peddler endured it.

“Sir, are you interested in this bucket?”

An old man took a fancy to a leather bucket, tossed down one coin, and ran off.

The peddler endured that too.

A young woman came with a bottle to get vanishing cream, took two big scoops, and gave only one coin.

Although the peddler sold vanishing cream in bulk, it was genuinely good quality. Hong Ying particularly liked it; it made her skin smooth and soft, making other women incredibly envious.

Such a good item was also just one coin.

When did the peddler start a 'one-coin' store?

Does that mean the entry-level medicinal powder today would also cost only one coin?

An old man rummaged through the peddler's cart for a long time, making a mess, but bought nothing. The peddler didn't get angry.

A child came, grabbed a handful of white sugar, stuffed it into their mouth, and ran off. The peddler didn't get angry either.

People were outright stealing from him, but the peddler remained unperturbed.

What on earth was the reason for this?

After all the goods on his cart were gone, the peddler pushed his cart away.

He left silently because even his rattle drum had been stolen.

Watching the peddler's receding figure, Li Banfeng couldn't fathom the reason behind it.

The peddler had once warned Li Banfeng to stay away from the Ignorant Cultivators, yet surprisingly, the peddler himself had come to Fool's City and suffered such significant losses.

Li Banfeng looked at Sun Tiecheng. “Brother Sun, did the peddler lose a bet to you?”

Sun Tiecheng shook his head. “I've never made a bet with him.”

Li Banfeng asked again, “Then did he lose a fight against you?”

Sun Tiecheng smiled. “In Prozhou, I don't fear fighting anyone, except for this peddler.”

Li Banfeng couldn't understand. “If it wasn't a bet or a fight, why did he come here to suffer such losses?”

Sun Tiecheng's smile held a hint of resentment. “Because he owes me!”

What did the peddler owe him?

Sun Tiecheng didn't want to elaborate.

Li Banfeng never pressed people about things they didn't want to discuss.

Sun Tiecheng then brought up Qiu Luoye. “You came here to learn this technique because you want to destroy Qiu Luoye's Cloud Realm cultivation and then help him recover it.”

Li Banfeng was startled. “You knew all this?”

Sun Tiecheng looked quite pleased. “What kind of person do you take me for? What's my standing? I guessed your intentions the moment you entered the city and started causing trouble.

You've learned the 'Ironclad Evidence' technique, and it's the right one, but you've only scratched the surface. This superficial understanding won't be enough to save Qiu Luoye.

Among the local deities, Qiu Luoye has a certain reputation, and that reputation isn't something he just boasts about; he earned it with genuine skill.

If you don't master the technique, you won't be able to fool him. Stay with me for a couple of days and let the girls help you refine it. Your Ignorant Cultivation skills are far inferior to theirs.”

Li Banfeng shook his head. “I'd also like to master the technique, but there's no time. Inner Prefecture might act as early as today.”

“No!” Sun Tiecheng was confident. “Inner Prefecture has just managed to secure a 'Righteous Territory'; they won't easily kill Qiu Luoye. They'll definitely wait another three to five days.

You should diligently learn the technique here. Only leave when you've truly mastered it. This matter must succeed on the first try; if you fail, there won't be another chance.

There's one more thing you must pay attention to: before Qiu Luoye grows new flesh and blood, you absolutely must not tell him that he has become a spirit; otherwise, the technique will fail.

After he sheds his original body, you must immediately find another set of flesh and blood and attach it to him as a temporary substitute. This substitute body cannot be removed until he grows his own flesh and blood.”

Shedding his original flesh and blood, then growing his own, requires an intermediate, transitional set of flesh and blood.

This task is quite challenging.

Li Banfeng asked, “How can I attach the flesh and blood to Qiu Luoye?”

Sun Tiecheng replied, “That's the 'Body Construction' technique. I'll have Yancui'er teach you. When you're learning, don't talk nonsense or say anything that might hurt Cui'er's feelings.

Remember this: 'Ironclad Evidence' must be truly ironclad. The substitute flesh and blood must resemble his own to stabilize him. You absolutely cannot let him have any doubts, or all your efforts will be in vain.”

Li Banfeng asked, “Brother Sun, do you admire Brother Qiu quite a bit?”

Sun Tiecheng remained silent.

Li Banfeng continued, “Brother Sun, if you think Brother Qiu is worth saving, are you willing to go in person? The compensation is negotiable; I'll figure it out.”

Sun Tiecheng looked at Li Banfeng and asked a crucial question, “You claim to be my last disciple, so why are you calling me 'Brother'? Where are the rules?”

Li Banfeng clasped his hands and chuckled, “We're all family. We call each other whatever feels most intimate; why stick to so many rules?”

Sun Tiecheng smiled, then called out, “Yancui'er, hold him down! I'm going to get a knife and chop him up!”

Yancui'er actually came forward and held Li Banfeng down.

Tang Changfa advised, “Please calm down, elder!”

Sun Tiecheng pushed Tang Changfa away. “No, I must chop him up!”

For three days, Li Banfeng was rigorously trained day and night by the girls, and his technique improved significantly.

Just then, Sun Tiecheng arrived, and Li Banfeng brewed a pot of tea for him.

It was rare for Li Banfeng to be so respectful, so Sun Tiecheng was pleased. He picked up the teacup, took a sip, savored the taste, and asked, “Is this tea a bit bland?”

Li Banfeng replied, “Bland tea is good; it's gentle on the stomach.”

Sun Tiecheng took another sip, then after a moment, said, “It's indeed gentle on the stomach. But this is clearly just plain water. Why are you insisting it's tea?”

Li Banfeng was taken aback. “How can it be plain water? It was steeped in a teapot! What comes out of a teapot is naturally tea. Ironclad evidence!”

“But there are no tea leaves in your pot. Isn't it still just water?”

“There are tea leaves!” Li Banfeng picked up a bag of tea leaves from the tea tray. “Aren't the tea leaves right here? Ironclad evidence!”

“But did you put the tea leaves into the pot?”

Li Banfeng looked at Yancui'er, who nodded and said, “The manager personally put them in. I saw it.”

Sun Tiecheng was astonished. “You saw it?”

Yancui'er nodded vigorously.

Li Banfeng declared, “Both human testimony and material evidence are present!”

Sun Tiecheng picked up the teacup and took another sip. Surprisingly, this time he did taste a hint of tea.

The Ignorant Cultivation technique disregards levels. Sun Tiecheng tasted tea, proving that Li Banfeng had truly mastered the skill.

“Good boy, you've got some skill!” Sun Tiecheng was very satisfied. “How's your progress with the 'Body Construction' technique?”

Yancui'er said, blushing, “I've learned it very well.”

Sun Tiecheng was taken aback. “Cui'er, when did you start blushing?”

Li Banfeng frowned. “Is that something you can just ask? Won't that hurt Cui'er's feelings?”

Sun Tiecheng smiled. He had already seen through the trick.

In fact, the trick wasn't difficult. Li Banfeng had extracted some stored blood from the Blood-Infused Pendulum and, using the 'Body Construction' technique, injected it into Yancui'er's body. With blood in her system, her face naturally turned red.

Actually, not only her face but other parts of her body also became rosy. However, Yancui'er didn't let anyone else see. She said that from now on, no one but Li Qi was allowed to look.

Tang Changfa scoffed, “If you don't let anyone see, how will the brothel's business operate in the future?”

Yancui'er snorted, “Has our brothel ever truly had any business? Have I ever done business in my life? I don't recall.”

Tang Changfa's face contorted, and he said no more.

Anyone who had come to this brothel from outside the city had their flesh and blood shaved away.

Even within Fool's City itself, no one dared to come to the brothel for entertainment.

This brothel had never conducted any actual business.

Could they truly welcome guests by dressing up in elaborate and flamboyant attire and going out to greet them?

Practicing songs daily, learning to brew tea, and in the evenings, the sisters honing their bedroom skills with each other—could any of this truly be put to use?

Not to mention them, how many businesses do the restaurants and inns outside manage to get all year round?

The signs hanging outside the doors were merely a way for them to feel they had a livelihood.

Creating such a business with no actual customers was to maintain a glimmer of hope.

Having that hope was to firmly believe they were still alive.

This truth must never be revealed. If even this were to be exposed, Tang Changfa, despite his high cultivation, might not be able to withstand it.

With her new complexion, Yancui'er naturally became much more beautiful. Yan Hong and Yan Qing'er were incredibly envious, though how long this blood would last depended on Yancui'er's maintenance.

Having received considerable care from Yancui'er these past days, Li Banfeng promised to bring her more blood on his next visit.

Sun Tiecheng was fairly satisfied with Li Banfeng's technique. “Go find Qiu Luoye now. You should be able to get through the Spirit Departure Trial, but don't rush into it.

For the Revival Trial and the Territory Guarding Trial, there can be no mistakes. Prepare as thoroughly as possible, and be extremely careful with every small detail.

However, while thoroughness is important, don't drag it out too long. Three days have already passed, and I estimate Inner Prefecture will come up with some new tricks within a day or two.”

Sun Tiecheng was very clear about the process of passing the three trials.

Li Banfeng never accepted services for free. Sun Tiecheng teaching him techniques before was considered compensation for passing the assessment. This time, the price for teaching the technique should be calculated separately.

He bowed deeply and said, “Brother Sun, is there anything I can do for you? If one thing isn't enough, please mention a few more.”

Sun Tiecheng indeed wanted Li Banfeng to do something. He looked at everyone in the brothel and asked, “Who among you wishes to go out and broaden your horizons?”

Li Banfeng immediately understood. “Those who wish to leave, follow me.”

Tang Changfa lowered his head, silent, and the girls also said nothing.

Sun Tiecheng looked at Yancui'er, who bit her lip. She wanted to follow Li Qi, but after a long internal struggle, she still didn't speak.

They all wanted to go out and see, but they were also all afraid to leave.

Sun Tiecheng sighed. “You spineless lot, what will become of you later? Old Seven, when you're dealing with Inner Prefecture, always be alert. Never be careless, and take good care of yourself.”

“Thank you for the reminder, Brother. I'll remember this kindness and will not hesitate to repay it when the time comes.”

Li Banfeng ran like the wind, returning all the way from Xindi to Seven Autumn City.

Ma Wu had already prepared the medicinal ingredients, which Li Banfeng took into his portable dwelling and instructed the Copper Lotus to refine into elixirs.

They had initially agreed on two days. Li Banfeng spent three days learning the skill and nearly a day traveling, so after a full four days, Qiu Luoye should have become thoroughly familiar with the territory of Wuqin Village.

Qiu Luoye was also very confident: “I can remember every place I've ever been.”

Li Banfeng took Qiu Luoye for a walk. As soon as they left Junyang Avenue, Qiu Luoye's condition seemed somewhat off.

“There's an alley here, and through the alley, there's a river. Across the river, there's a soy milk vendor whose soy milk is quite delicious.”

Li Banfeng looked at the alley Qiu Luoye pointed to. “Brother, did you take this path to drink soy milk across the river?”

Qiu Luoye nodded. “It's this alley; there's no mistake.”

“Brother, this is a dead end.”

“Did I remember wrong? Is it the alley next door?” Qiu Luoye scratched his scalp, sweat beading on his face.

It wasn't that he wasn't trying; he had been wandering around Wuqin Village for days, but he simply couldn't remember the way.

Once they left the town, Qiu Luoye began to get disoriented.

Li Banfeng recalled some science documentaries he had seen in other prefectures, which mentioned that elephants have excellent memories, especially for remembering routes.

In this regard, Qiu Luoye was not quite like an elephant.

Li Banfeng returned to his portable dwelling. Honglian had already refined the elixir for growing flesh and blood.

The preparations for the first and second trials were complete, but the third trial had unexpectedly become the most serious problem. Li Banfeng told the Phonograph about Qiu Luoye's condition, and the Phonograph immediately gave its verdict:

“My dear husband, in this condition, even if he passes the first two trials, it will be useless. He isn't familiar with his territory, and the territory itself isn't large. Even if his cultivation is recovered, he won't be able to stabilize it. If his cultivation is restored and then drops again, Qiu Luoye will certainly die on the spot.”

Should they let Qiu Luoye wander around for another two days?

Two days would likely be useless; perhaps a month of wandering might show some improvement.

Li Banfeng remembered Sun Tiecheng's warnings. Sun Tiecheng seemed to know Inner Prefecture very well: he said not to rush, and Qiu Luoye indeed seemed fine; he also said not to delay too long, estimating that Inner Prefecture would soon make a move.

With the blade already at his neck, how much longer could they wait?

After long deliberation, Li Banfeng said, “No more waiting. We act tonight.”

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